This may be the realest book: Solutions and Other Problems, by Allie Brosh

Hello Potentially Happy Readers. I foresee *small* spoilers ahead. You have been forewarned. Here, be dragons.

 


I love this book so much. It truly touched my soul, and I love this author so much. 

Solutions and Other Problems is a sequel to Hyperbole and a Half, which had been published 7 years earlier. They're a collection of anecdotes that ultimately form a sort of autobiography, and the entirety of the way the book flows through incredibly lighthearted moments to extremely serious topics just scratches the itch in my brain perfectly. 

A large portion of why I liked the first book was because of its chapter on depression. I first read that book last year, and while I would consider my mental health back then, much better, I have had bouts of it before, and I HEAVILY related to it. The lackadaisical drawings are so effortlessly expressive, and there’s something about the way that Brosh describes her thoughts that is so… conveyable. Ever since I initially read that book, I’ve loved the writing style, and have noticed I’ve emulated it ever since, especially in these blogs.

As for this book, I was not able to make it past the second proper chapter without laughing so hard I started crying. I wish there was some sort of cohesive plot that I could follow, so I could summarize spoil this novel and just explain how amazing it is. Halfway through, I started crying for different, sadder reasons. Readers find out what happen to the figures that feature so prominently in the first book, and in chapters set in earlier times. Additionally, we get very in-depth explanations regarding almost unremarkable situations. For example, how one gets stuck in a bucket, multiple times, for no reason other than to establish dominance.

Very generally, Solutions and Other Problems reflects upon the author’s experiences of numerous little things that often get passed by in life, and lost to time. Instead, the book holds onto them, and looking into these memories as an outsider makes me feel really comforted, in some kind of way.

Earlier, I mentioned depression. Solutions also talks about anxiety! While the experiences and thought processes are slightly different, the sensation is basically the same. Anxiety consists mostly of overthinking and hyperventilating, and this book made me feel validated.

Honestly, considering I can’t actually summarize this book any more than I have, due to its lack of intentional lack of structure, I’d like to conclude this account of the effect Solutions and Other Problems had on me.

 

Hope this wasn’t gibberish, Jemina


Comments

  1. RuijingMay 9, 2024 at 9:09 AM

    Hello Jemina, books about depressions and grieves in life are intersting to reflect on. These books are important as they teach readers how to deal with these misfortunes and help others in similar situations. This is a great blog :DDD

    ReplyDelete

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